(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

"The Gandharva continued, 'When that maiden disappeared, that feller of
hostile ranks deprived of his senses by Kama (concupiscence) himself fell
down on the earth. And as the monarch fell down, that maiden of sweet
smiles and prominent and round hips appeared again before him, and
smiling sweetly, said unto that perpetuator of Kuru's race these honeyed
words, 'Rise, rise, O chastiser of foes! Blest be thou; it behoveth thee
not, O tiger among kings, to lose thy reason, a celebrated man as thou
art in the world.' Addressed in these honeyed words, the king opened his
eyes and saw before him that selfsame girl of swelling hips. The monarch
who was burning with the flame of desire then addressed that black-eyed
damsel in accents, weak with emotion, and said, 'Blest be thou O
excellent woman of black eyes! As I am burning with desire and paying
thee court, O, accept me! My life is ebbing away. O thou of large eyes,
for thy sake it is, O thou of the splendour of the filaments of the
lotus, that Kama is incessantly piercing me with his keen shafts without
stopping for a moment! O amiable and cheerful girl, I have been bitten by
Kama who is even like a venomous viper. O thou of swelling and large
hips, have mercy on me! O thou of handsome and faultless features, O thou
of face like unto the lotus-petal or the moon, O thou of voice sweet as
that of singing Kinnaras, my life now depends on thee! Without thee, O
timid one, I am unable to live! O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, Kama is
piercing me incessantly! O large-eyed girl, be merciful unto me! It
becometh thee not, O black-eyed maid, to cast me off; O handsome girl, it
behoveth thee to relieve me from such affliction by giving me thy love!
At first sight thou hast attracted my heart. My mind wandereth! Beholding
thee I like not to cast my eyes on any other woman! Be merciful! I am thy
obedient slave—thy adorer! O, accept me! O beautiful lady, O large-eyed
girl at the sight of thee, the god of desire hath entered my heart, and
is piercing me with his shafts! O thou of lotus-eyes, the flame of desire
burneth within me! O, extinguish that flame with the water of thy love
poured on it! O beautiful lady, by becoming mine, pacify thou the
irrepressible god of desire that hath appeared here armed with his deadly
bow and arrows and that is piercing me incessantly with those keen shafts
of his! O thou of the fairest complexion, wed me according to the
Gandharva form, for, O thou of tapering hips, of all forms of marriage
the Gandharva hath been said to be the best.'

"The Gandharva continued, 'Hearing those words of the monarch, Tapati
made answer, 'O king, I am not the mistress of my own self! Be it known
that I am a maiden under the control of my father. If thou really
entertainest an affection for me, demand me of my father. Thou sayest, O
king, that thy heart hath been robbed by me. But thou also hast, at first
sight, robbed me of my heart; I am not the mistress of my body, and
therefore, O best of kings, I do not approach thee; women are never
independent. What girl is there in the three worlds that would not desire
thee for her husband, as thou art kind unto all thy dependents and as
thou art born in a pure race? Therefore, when the opportunity comes, ask
my father Aditya for my hand with worship, ascetic penances, and vows. If
my father bestoweth me upon thee, then, O king, I shall ever be thy
obedient wife. My name is Tapati and I am the younger sister of Savitri,
and the daughter, O bull amongst Kshatriyas of Savitri, of (Sun) the
illuminator of the universe.'"